


Black Water Lilies

by viviandeluca



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Crafts, F/F, Summer, Summer Romance, Summer Vacation, curvy bisexual clarke, disgustingly gay and adorable lexa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:44:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7039006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viviandeluca/pseuds/viviandeluca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexa Woods signs up for a dating app and instantly starts to flirt with a drunk stranger who may or may not think she is texting her stepdad. Said stranger, Clarke Griffin, wakes up to very interesting texts and offers Lexa a job as an apology. </p><p>Or;</p><p>Lexa needs to escape for the summer and a recently sobered stranger offers her a way out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shit Are You Not My Dad?

Lexa had been forced into downloading the app-- never in a million years would she have volunteered herself into conforming to the obsessed, love-seeking society that surrounded her. Anya had told Lexa that she didn’t have to do anything. Anya would download the app and even type out Lexa’s responses to messages if she had to. Anything to give Lexa something to smile about during the long summer. 

 

Normally Lexa would have been surprised to have Anya so worried and caring towards her. 

 

Anya had always been kind to her, especially after she left the foster home and went to college a few years back. But she hadn’t lost touch and eventually Lexa had turned eighteen and moved in with Anya who had just finished school. That was a year ago. 

 

Now, Anya was leaving her again to go stay with her boyfriend in England for a year. Apparently Lexa was too mopey and lonely to stay alone all summer in their small town where there was so few people that the abundance of trees became your friends. Lexa would have disagreed in any other position, probably claiming that the racoon named Indra out back was a lovely friend, but she didn’t want to be alone anymore. 

 

The first message made Anya break out the wine, tossing the entire bottle between on them the couch and warming up her fingers like she was about to enter a texting contest. Lexa rolled her eyes and took a few sips from the bottle, bracing herself for awkward conversations with girls through her older sister. Sure, weirder things had happened, but Lexa wasn’t in the mood for talking. 

 

“Her profile says straight but she sure doesn’t seem like it. Her name is Clarke Griffin, nineteen and very single it seems.”

 

Lexa’s furrowed her brow and took another sip straight from the bottle. Clarke. It was a safe name, gender neutral and very un-Barbie-ish. It wasn’t exotic and didn’t roll off her tongue very easily. 

 

She loved it. 

 

“Why would she lie about her sexuality? Especially if she’s going to talk to chat with me?” 

 

Anya shrugged and stole the bottle from between Lexa’s legs. She glanced down at the phone when it vibrated against her leg, signalling a new message. Lexa watched Anya’s face go from peaceful to blatantly disturbed. She threw the phone at the Lexa and hopped off the couch, sloshing the sickly red wine all over her jeans. 

 

“You might want to take the wheel on this one, Lex. I’m not selling what she’s trying to buy,” Anya said with wide eyes, grabbing a magazine from the coffee table and starting towards her bedroom. Before completely leaving Lexa, she turned to her sister and snickered like a child. “She’s definitely not straight though.”

 

Lexa was alone with her phone and no alcohol, cross legged on the old couch with Iron Man pajamas. It wasn’t exactly the position or outfit that oozed enough confidence to flirt with girls but Lexa was warm from the alcohol and bored. She unlocked her phone and read through the “Heys” that her sister had sent in response to the short “Hi” from Clarke. Nothing seemed specifically out of the ordinary except for the recent message that Anya hadn’t replied to. 

 

wannaheda19: Daddy we hav no icecream… :((

 

Lexa raised an eyebrow and her mouth hung open slightly as she attempted to form a coherent thought. Her stomach tightened a bit while she typed out her response with little direction. No wonder her sister had fled so quickly. 

 

lady-lex: Aw no icecream? That seriously sucks! Feel better!!

 

wannaheda19: seriously? you ate the rest and I don't even get an apology!

 

Lexa’s tongue drew patterns on the roof of her mouth while she tried to digest the meaning behind Clarke’s messages. Was this a roleplay kink that she should have come prepared for? Was there props or something? Most importantly; did she have anything to lose? Lexa decided to swallow her doubt and just message Clarke back. It wasn’t like they even lived close enough to run into each other. She had made Anya promise to deny chat requests from anyone in a two hour radius. 

 

lady-lex: Sorry darling! Anything I can do to make it up to you? 

 

wannaheda19: tell mom that she’s my favourite now. also, can you send me some cute raccoon videos? i’ve watched all the ones in my suggested list… 

 

Lexa grinned and glanced out the windows that revealed their deck where Indra usually visited. Sure, she wasn’t exactly used to this type of flirting but she could learn for a girl who loved animals and icecream. She could play along for a while right? 

 

Her butt kept sinking into the back of the couch so she decided to lie down and put the TV on low, randomly selecting a kid’s channel. The lights were already low enough that she could fall asleep if she found herself too lazy to get up again. She spent most nights on the couch, finding her room to small and confining to be comfortable in. Lexa hated tiny spaces with a passion. 

 

lady-lex: I still want to be your favourite. I promise to be more careful next time; no more icecream mishaps! I know some great videos, just give me a moment. 

wannaheda19: thanx, love you. and we’ll see if ur still my fav after i watch the vids. I’m pretty forgiving when cute animals r involved. 

 

wannaheda19: don’t tell mom im drunk. u always seem to kno whether or not i tell u. i promise i bot it myself this time tho. 

 

lady-lex: Promise xoxo. I would never purposely get you in trouble, baby. 

 

wannaheda19: baby? 

 

Lexa froze and bit her lip, her mind searching the best way to back pedal. Clarke didn’t like being called baby; noted. She frantically tried to think of what to say back to Clarke but nothing witty came to mind. Judging by her profile picture, Clarke was hot. She was wearing sunglasses in the photo but her wavy blonde hair looked silky enough to play with for hours. 

 

lady-lex: Oops, I’m drunk too…

 

It wasn’t very creative or convincing but she didn’t even care, as long as Clarke fell for it in her drunk state. Lexa crossed her fingers and toes for extra measure and tried to remind herself that she didn’t even know the girl. If she messed things up with mindless flirting then the world would not end. 

 

wannaheda19: shit this isn’t Marcus is it? fuckery fuck on an icecream truck. who is this?

 

Lexa’s face contorted into a confused expression and she shifted awkwardly on the couch, the warm feeling in her stomach fading quickly. So Clarke was straight then. She was assuming she was talking to some probably hot Marcus guy and not a nineteen year old brunette who had nothing better to do than to drink wine and lie around. Lexa groaned and covered her eyes as her phone vibrated in her hands, avoiding the temptation to look at the new message. 

 

After a minute she finally mustered a bit of dignity and read the message while holding her breath without meaning to. 

 

wannaheda19: omigod im so drunk. sorry daddy

 

wannaheda19: shit i didnt mean that. wat is ur name?

 

Lexa giggled despite the overwhelming embarrassment and struggled to stay quiet so she didn’t interrupt whatever Anya was up to in her bedroom. She would also never live it down if Anya heard her giggle like a teenage girl. Her toes curled as her eyes flickered from Clarke’s adorable profile photo and her last messages. 

 

lady-lex: It’s Lexa, and don’t worry about it. I’ve been there before! Anyways, sorry you never got any icecream. Feel better :)

 

Clarke’s replies were almost instant, making Lexa smile once more. It was incredibly silly to be so amused by a short conversation with a drunk straight girl but she didn’t care. She would probably never hear from Clarke again and probably forget her in a week but that was okay with her. The fact that she smiled for the first time in weeks-- even giggled-- was enough for her. No one could make her smile that easily anymore. 

 

Not since--

 

Clarke messaged back again, the vibration from the phone making Lexa shudder slightly. She was getting more tired and her mind was wandering a bit. 

 

wannaheda19: hey lexa. I thought u were my stepdad. srry man. my messaging apps look the same i guess. ur prettier than him if that helps. 

 

wannaheda19: thanks for the coon videos. 

 

So Marcus wasn’t some guy that she had a fling with. Lexa couldn’t help but feel slightly thrilled by this until the point of the conversation dawned on her. Clarke thought she was talking to her step dad. She wasn’t flirting in the slightest and Lexa had been responding like she was some kinky lesbian. 

 

Worse part was Lexa had found it fun. 

 

With flaming cheeks of shame she decided it was best to break the conversation off there and leave Clarke to her drunk texts. She was both too embarrassed and tired to try and work things out any further so she set her phone down on the coffee table and let her butt get sucked into the couch again. She wished the couch would just swallow her and her embarrassment whole. It would certainly make her feel less exposed and awkward despite being in a tiny house in the middle of nowhere. Instead she felt naked in the middle of the street in a massive city. How could she be so ridiculous and careless? Who plays along with a Daddy kink over a messenger when they don't even know who the girl is?

The more Lexa thought, the more she wanted to sink into the couch and never surface again. 

 

This was all Anya’s fault. It the morning Lexa would give her a speech about stupid ideas and maybe pull out the ‘raccoons are good friends’ card. She would never have to talk to another drunk straight girl ever again. Especially Clarke. 

Her dreams that night were oddly blonde.


	2. Abandoned and Immature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke wakes up with a hangover but is quickly distracted by her mistakes from the night before. Does she have the guts to message Lexa with an apology?

If there was one thing Clarke that hated more than her mother and Marcus ditching her for half the summer without ice cream, it was waking up in their bed completely hung over. Though their bed was ultimately more comfortable, she recalled crying about missing them after a few drinks. She hadn't quite learned how to be independent yet and it had only taken one day of them being gone to drive her to a bottle of some cheap, fruity alcohol she hated. Being an adult was already exhausting her and she had only been nineteen for two months. 

When Clarke finally dragged herself out of bed to use the washroom, she quickly grabbed for her sunglasses across the hall and avoided windows at all costs. She had a feeling that other than going to work, she would be converting to the life of a vampire all summer. Even her phone brightness was too much on the lowest setting. Though, due to her drunk texting habit, she decided it was best to go through her phone.

Other than a video of herself ranting about an intruder (plot twist: it was her cat, Monty), nothing seemed out if the ordinary. She may have rambled a bit to Octavia about her love for her but there was no other texts. Hadn't she been bothering Marcus about something? Clarke was quickly suspicious and went through her recent notifications that told her she was using the stupid app that Raven had forced onto her phone. She'd only used it once to get revenge on Raven's ex, pretending to have a thing for him. But that had been all until the night before. 

"Oh, Jas. What did I do?" she whined to the puppy sitting at her feet. Jasper was a needy pup who couldn't even let Clarke pee in peace; he went wherever she went. He was a handful. 

Jasper just stared up at her with his stupidly cute face and started to lick her toes, making Clarke yelp and decide to face the kitchen instead of hiding in the bathroom. She could check her stupid messages after she attempted to consume food. She supposed her pets probably needed to be fed as well, giving her a reason to pass her bedroom and not wind up collapsing in a heap. Knowing Monty and Jasper, they would wind up eating her if they weren't fed on time.

She noticed the home phone was flashing from a voicemail and clicked the listen button before pulling a carton of eggs from the fridge. At first there was just breathing and Clarke scowled, internally praying that it wasn't another butt dial from her best friends having sex again. Nothing was worse than hearing Raven moan about how much she likes her hair being pulled. 

Like really? Clarke couldn't face them for two weeks without gagging. 

_"Hey Honey, so we arrived at the location and it's just as beautiful as in the brochure! You're going to visit in a few weeks still, right? You'll love it here, honey. Marcus is trying to get me to enter the wet t-shirt contest but I think my bikini years are over. He's so funny. Anyway, we were surprised that you didn't text us last night because Marcus did admit to finishing off the ice cream. He's sorry... Love you hun!"_

Her mother's message made her cringe and bang her head against the table, which was the worst possible thing to do while hung over. Her parents were like an old married couple (which she supposed they really were), but even worse. With a pounding head she finished making her omelet and retreated to her bedroom to check her messages.

Clarke's princess pink walls seem to glow in the sunlight that streamed from the sliding doors, leading to the balcony. She quickly shuffled to the doors and closed her curtains, ignoring the fact that she had promised to redecorate and paint her room this summer. In fact, she had just promised her mother yesterday that it would be her first summer project. Her first one! She was apparently good at lying to herself and her mother. There was no way she had the patience or productivity to do it herself and Raven and Octavia were unreliable when it came to actual work. Raven was spending all summer working with her uncle at his mechanic shop anyway. And wherever she went, Octavia was sure to follow. 

Her best friends had been dating for almost two years and were inseparable, in fact, Clarke hadn't hung out with them separately in months. They were so disgustingly happy that Clarke had started to become completely turned off to the idea of a relationship, instead deciding that it was best for her to sort out her life before she dedicated it to another person. She could barely take the trash out without complaining to her mother, let alone function home alone. 

In September she would be starting her second year at the local college (which she liked to moan on about but it was actually quite known for the arts program) and begin a placement at the hospital, teaching different art forms to kids who couldn't leave the hospital often enough to go to classes. She loved everything about college except for the fact that her mother hadn't permitted her to live in residence. She understood that saving money would help her in the future, but it prevented her from actually meeting people and going to many parties. 

Summer was going to be long and slow, especially without her mom and her step dad. She wasn't specifically keen on Marcus yet but she supposed that in the five years she had lived with him that he had proved himself to be okay. He used to be her mother's boss and a completely wanker but he softened up after a while and fell in love with Abby. Clarke found them to be absolutely disgusting but they loved each other more than anything in the world. Which of course meant that Abby spent more time with him and way less with Clarke, though Clarke found that she didn't mind. Abby had become more bearable with Marcus around. 

Clarke laid on her bed and opened the dating app that had messenger system surprisingly similar to her texting app. She scrolled through her notification and opened the most recent conversation with a person named Lexa. Clarke was pleasantly surprised when she saw how gorgeous Lexa was. _Damn Griffin,_ she thought to herself happily. She hadn't really dated anyone since her early high school years, let alone explored her sexuality, but there was something about the girl she'd been texting while drunk that had Clarke grinning.

It didn't take her long to read through the messages.

"What. The. FUCK," Clarke bellowed loudly, her worse echoing through the room and possibly loud enough for the elderly couple next door to hear. 

_I'm never drinking again, not even a fucking drop!_ Her biggest shock was possibly that she was drunk enough to want to call Marcus "Daddy", but especially that this stranger from two towns over had thought she was just being kinky. Not that Clarke was one to kink shame, but goodness. It wasn't everyday that she woke up and read something as unexpected as her conversation with Lexa Woods.

Her fingers fumbled over different buttons and she quickly typed out a message, praying that Lexa hadn't screenshotted the messages and posted them all over social media already. How would she explain the messages to her parents if she became some meme? It had happened to Octavia's brother, Bellamy in high school when he pissed off some girl on Tumblr.com and she posted one of his unflattering snapchats _everywhere_. He still hadn't lived it down. 

wannaheda19: Hey, I am so, so sorry about last night. I was out of my mind drunk and my messenger apps looks the same and gah, I am so embarrassed. I don't even know how to explain how sorry and ridiculous I feel right now. 

She stared at her phone like she was expecting Lexa to reply instantly, which was slightly ridiculous. Lexa hadn't been on in almost ten hours; she had probably blocked Clarke already anyways. If Clarke had been in Lexa's position, she would have blocked herself too. She held onto a small sliver of hope that Lexa would see the message while looking at Lexa's profile. She figured it wouldn't hurt to learn a bit about the girl she had harassed the night before. 

Lexa lived two towns over from Black Water, the town that Clarke had grown up in, and seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. She was nineteen as well and liked old novels, animal movies and camping. Clarke was interested to see that Lexa had added that she did an extra year of high school for extra credits and didn't mention anything about going to college or university in the fall. Did she have any plans after the summer? 

Clarke shook her head and tried to stop analyzing the poor stranger. It was none of her business if Lexa was going to college or not. Perhaps she was going into the work field or just didn't broadcast her life on the internet like Clarke had a knack for doing. 

Eventually Lexa answered and surprised Clarke so much that she almost threw her phone across the room. Did she even want to know what Lexa had replied with? 

lady-lex: No, don't worry! Honestly, I feel so embarrassed as well. I feel like an idiot. I'm usually never like that, I just thought you seemed cool I guess. Honestly my sister thought it would be a good idea to meet some people and give me something to do over the summer and it was a terrible idea. Sorry!

wannaheda19: You shouldn't apologize, it was really me. Please, don't stop meeting new people because of me! I don't want to deprive you of your summer. 

Clarke panicked and hoped that she didn't sound too pushy. Not that it really mattered, she didn't even know the girl and she especially wasn't responsible for her decisions. But something about the situation made Clarke desperate to fix things and make sure that Lexa was happy. 

wannaheda19: Look, if you need something to do this summer, you could always come help me out at my friend's craft shop. It's really boring, there's no air conditioning and it pays like shit but I could use some help there and we have a lot of cool stuff to do in town. 

Had she really just invited this girl to stay in Black Water for the summer? Clarke couldn't even remember Lexa's last name and she was already offering to spend the summer with her. But it was done, over with, and the message was already sent. She figured Lexa wouldn't take the offer anyway, right? No one would take up a crazy offer from a stranger to work under terrible conditions in a boring town two hours away. It wasn't like Lexa even had a place to stay there too, or so Clarke was assuming. 

Clarke definitely was never drinking again. 

lady-lex: This may sound crazy, but I sort of need a job. And I literally have no plans for the summer. When can I start? 

Clarke furrowed her brows and stared at the message for ten minutes, completely frozen, before feeling well enough to move again. 

Did this mean that Clarke had someone to work with her age and spend the summer with? Could this be a really good thing or a complete disaster? 

wannaheda19: My friend, Lincoln, is hiring for a week from now if you want to start soon. 

lady-lex: Wow okay, awesome. I'll send you my number and look you up on social media in a second if that's alright. I don't usually accept jobs from people I don't know, just in case you're actually some psycho or think that I am. 

Clarke swallowed thickly and found herself staring a little too long at Lexa's profile photo, admiring her flawless features. She wondered if Lexa looked any different in person and what she sounded out. Would they like each other? Become friends? Or would they instantly hate each other and let awkwardness ruin their summer? Maybe she would accidently drive Lexa away after a few days with her annoying habits like staying up too late and taking her cat for walks. Could people get annoyed by that? 

wannaheda19: I know this is already really weird but if you want, I can ask my parents if you can stay in our guest house. It's small but I wouldn't set a rent rate or anything, you could just help me out with electricity and groceries. And I wouldn't get in your way either, the guest house is separate from the main one. 

She leaned over the counter and waited for more responses like a child getting excited over a playdate. This was by far the strangest thing she had ever done, but possibly the most exciting. 

Clarke had made a normal, genuinely interesting friend. Her summer would definitely not be boring anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually know where I'm going with this and I hope to update every few nights depending on school and work. I have three weeks of school, graduation and then I instantly begin a summer position.
> 
> Anyways, I'll be editing this tomorrow but since I'm lazy I'm posting it now to prove I'm actually dedicated to this story. (I also have baseball right now, or else I would edit sorry!)


	3. Out of the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa has some explaining to do and a trip to plan but it's not without panicking first.

Lexa's hands were shaking, clutching the phone in one hand and a lock of hair in the other. She twisted the hair over and over again until it was practically a ringlet, not knowing how to stop herself. 

"I am such an idiot. Who do I think I am? I'm not this sort of person! I've never even gone into the city, let alone moved!" She stood in her small bedroom for an hour, the walls seeming to close in on her as she paced. She could barely see straight let alone pry her fingers from the phone to text Clarke back, who had just added Lexa's number the night before. 

Lexa was sure that she had gone insane, never having done something so brash or out of character in her entire life. She had run away from her foster home when Anya left but barely made it down the street before she had to use the washroom, running back to the house faster than she had ever gone in her life. She wasn't a coward, she just relied on safety and structure. Running away usually involved no structure or planning, neither did accepting job offers from strange women that lived three hours away. There was no way she could go along with it, she had to tell Clarke that things had changed. 

"Lexa, what in the world are you doing? I'm stressed out just looking at you," Anya said with a small shiver, entering the bedroom without asking permission, as usual. Anya had no respect for boundaries when it came to her younger sister. 

She reached for Lexa's arm and shook her slightly, hoping to jolt Lexa out of her panicking state. Lexa collapsed on her twin with a huff and looked up at Anya with a distressed expression. Anya untangled Lexa's hand from her hair and gripped it tightly, hoping to calm her down. 

"That girl from two nights ago offered me a job and a place to stay for the summer, so I said yes," Lexa said in a single breath, looking away from Anya in fear of judgment. Anya was practical, calculated and while she cared deeply for Lexa, Anya was about safety and practicality. She wouldn't be approving of running off with some (most likely) straight girl and winging it for the summer. She probably wouldn't trust Lexa to do it anyways. 

"So when are you leaving? Because I'm going to the airport this weekend to leave to London, as you know, and I think I'm going through that place Clarke lives in. Black Water right? Everyone there is an asshole, their mayor has tried to fuck this town over more times than I can count but I mean Clarke is hot I guess."

Lexa dropped Anya's hand instantly and she made a small noise of surprise in the back of her throat. Anya hadn't been that blunt since Lexa's first girlfriend broke up with her and Anya literally marched to the girl's house and screamed at her. So much for practicality. 

"Stop looking at me like I just suggested you kill the neighbour's cow. When are you going?" While Anya would have never suggested actually killing the neighbour's obnoxiously loud cow, Lexa wouldn't have said no to her if she did. Pike was a terribly annoying cow. Lexa had considered paying to ship the animal away in the middle of the night multiple times after Pike wandered onto their property too many times.

"I can't go!" Lexa bit her lip when she realized how shrill her voice was; she was getting too worked up over the situation and usually prided herself in keeping calm. Though, she had never been in a situation so quickly progressive and out of control. In fact, she could barely believe that her hadn't spun right off her neck already 

"Lex, this is a perfect opportunity for you. You need a change and this summer is your chance. You know that things will be changing in the fall and... Well I just don't want your time to be spent sitting on the couch and bitterly watching bad television. You're going to regret everything if you don't live a little while you still have the freedom. I'll take you to Black Water, let you loose with the rest of my savings and you can spend your summer doing something productive."

Lexa groaned and slowly began to slide off her bed in protest, letting her head carefully slide on the floor until only her legs remained on the bed. 

"Stop being such a child, you're nineteen and you need to smarten up before September rolls around. Do you think that everything will just fit into place, that responsibility will come to you in your sleep and all of the sudden you will have everything under control? Because that's not how it works, Lex. Grow up," she demanded sternly, grabbing Lexa's arms and yanking her from the ground in one swift motion. She was incredibly strong, even stronger than Lexa was. 

Lexa took a deep breath and looked directly into Anya's eyes, searching for some way out or even a bit of pity that she could use to her advantage. Unfortunately, Anya was stone cold serious and didn't seem up to arguing about it. 

Lexa was going to Black Water whether she went there willingly or tied up in the back of Anya's truck, and both were possibilities. 

"Fine. But if I hate it, then I'm flying to London and stealing your stupid British boyfriend," Lexa promised coldly, glaring at her sister daringly. While they usually got into fights about absolutely nothing, Anya had a knack for winning and making Lexa feel like a child. 

"Don't kid yourself, Lex. You wouldn't touch a guy with a ten foot pole." Anya laughed and walked away, leaving Lexa to continue panicking and begin to pack. 

What was she supposed to pack for a summer in a town full of strangers and _girls_?

_FIVE DAYS LATER_

Lexa couldn't stand Anya by the end of the week. It was constant fighting all week over what Lexa had to bring and what she wasn't allowed to bring. Apparently books would distract her from meeting people and movies would keep her inside all day. She tried to tell Anya that she would be working in a craft shop, a perfect way to meet people in town, but Anya told that her only elderly people liked craft shops. Lexa was sure she was right but still tried to argue her original point. Anything to bring some kind of distraction with her.

When she finally finished packing summer clothes and even snuck in a few V.C Andrews novels that were small enough to hide, Lexa was physically ready to leave. Emotionally? That was a completely different story. She found herself in the corner of her bedroom hugging a pillow the morning that they were supposed to leave, mumbling on about never leaving the room again. She hated that room but anything was better than a new place and new people. Unfortunately, Anya was prepared to drag her ass from the bedroom and throw her in the truck if it came to it. 

She couldn't argue that leaving was probably best for her, as she had no social skills and hated her entire town. But that didn't mean that she was prepared to start over, if even for just the summer. 

Once she had thrown everything into the truck along with Anya's belongings, their adventure finally began. There was no turning around, no matter how hard Lexa begged Anya to. The further they went from the house, the more Lexa realized that she was going to miss Anya when they finally parted ways. She had been without her sister before but she always knew that Anya would swoop in when she needed her most. Except this time, Anya would be too far away and when she got back, things would be changing drastically. 

"Are you scared?" Anya didn't take her eyes off the road, instead reaching for Lexa's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"No, not anymore. I still don't want to do it though. I know that my parents didn't expect for anything to happen to them, but by stating in their will that I am to take this kind of responsibility at only nineteen... How do I forgive them for that?" 

They didn't talk about the future very often, especially Lexa's, but September was rolling around quicker and quicker and they couldn't avoid it forever. Lexa had been ignoring it all year and doing a good job at it too. She had even applied to some colleges and partied a little when she got in. Of course she couldn't go, but she could dream about it. 

"This adventure will be good for you, I swear. I think it will give you the extra kick in the ass that you need to be prepared. I'm sorry, Lex. You know that I haven't minded managing it myself these past few years, I'd do anything for you, but it's time for me to begin my life. It's time for you to take the torch and I promise that I will do whatever I can to support you." Anya was right; it wasn't her job to protect Lexa from her own future anymore. 

Anya had been strong to take care of Lexa and Lexa's responsibility but there was nothing she could do now that Lexa was nineteen. The will specifically stated that everything was in Lexa's power and there was no way to have it skip her, no matter how many times she tried to get around it. None of the lawyers that she could afford found loopholes or ways to opt out of contracts, and ironically, the only way she could afford better lawyers would be to go along with what her parents expected her to be. 

"What if I just find a nice ditch and live in it? No one would find me let alone force me to be or do anything," Lexa suggested easily, turning up the radio when Fleetwood Mac came on. Anya laughed but seemed almost sad, like she wished that Lexa didn't have to go through with any of it. 

After another two hours, they finally arrived in Black Water and were headed to the address that Clarke gave her. They passed the small craft shop that Lexa would be working at and Lexa noted that it was in the busier part of town. It was called Flaming Crafts and the outside looked more like a club than a store for the elderly. The outside was completely covered in beautiful graffiti art and there seemed to be music playing from the inside. Lexa was almost excited to check it out but tried to suppress the excitement so that Anya didn't make a big deal about it. 

Black Water wasn't relatively big but it was more populated than her hometown, people busying about on their lunch breaks or bringing their kids out for walks. Other people were so obviously tourists and probably coming back from the beach that was just outside of town, according to Clarke. It wasn't a bad place to be, as hard as it was for Lexa to admit to herself. Everything looked happy and open despite being overwhelming. 

Lexa supposed that the biggest surprise was the houses; they weren't mansions by any stretch of the imagination but they were absolutely beautiful. They all seemed to be bright coloured and manicured like they should have been on a billboard for real estate companies. Clarke's was no different either; her house was bright blue like the sky and had flowers growing all along the stone walkway. It was two stories and had wide windows, perfect for letting light flood the house. There was no garage but when Lexa squinted her eyes, she could see the guest house peeking out, far behind the house. 

"You texted her right? I'm not abandoning you here while she is out grocery shopping or anything?" Lexa rolled her eyes; so _now_ Anya was concerned. 

Lexa had been texting Clarke here and there during the car ride, making sure that Clarke wasn't going to take back her offer once Lexa arrived. Luckily enough, Clarke was actually really interested in meeting her and had planned to take Lexa on a small tour of the town. Lexa's stomach was tight as she finally got out of the car and started to grab her bags, slightly panicking as she hoped that they weren't at the wrong house. Anya gave her a supportive smile and a thumbs up, making Lexa even more upset that she wouldn't see Anya for a couple of months. Anya was the embarrassing older sister that she didn't have as a small child and Lexa almost felt like she was reverting back to a small five year old as she carried her bags to the door. 

She didn't even have to ring the doorbell before Clarke came bouncing out with a bright smile. Lexa had never seen anyone that excited to see her in her life, especially not a stranger. 

"Lexa! I can't believe you're actually here!" Clarke's blue eyes shimmered in the afternoon sunlight and her hair appeared to be gold rather than the pale blonde like in her profile picture. The sun did wonders for her pale skin as well, giving her a small tan that made Lexa want to run her fingers down Clarke's arm. 

Not that she was going _there_.

It took her a moment to form words after swiftly checking Clarke out without even meaning to. _Great. Now she thinks I'm in love with her or something_ , Lexa thought with an internal groan. She couldn't believe how quickly she was already making things weird. Though, Clarke didn't seem to notice, or she had chosen to ignore it.

"It's great to meet you," Lexa responded with a small smile, turning a bit to return Anya's thumbs up. She watched Anya back out of the parking lot before turning back to Clarke. "That was just my sister, Anya. She's going to London and was nice enough to drive me out here."

Clarke and smiled warmly and invited Lexa inside the house while ranting on about the guest house and explaining how things in the main house worked. Lexa learned that Clarke had odd sleeping schedules, the shower was constantly cold, and that her pets were more annoying than children. Lexa snuck a quick pet of the cat, Monty, grinning when the animal purred instantly. She had never had a cat before or a pet for that matter. Indra was the closest thing she had to a pet and she scared Lexa half the time. Raccoons didn't necessarily _want_ to be her friend. 

"So, I'll show the guest house and then we can eat dinner. I've just ordered pizza so I hope you like pizza. Though it would be concerning if you didn't... Anyway, tomorrow morning I was hoping that you would let me show you around town and maybe introduce you to Lincoln. He liked the resume you sent me and was pretty desperate for someone to help us out this summer." Clarke talked quickly and used her hands a lot, even accidentally whacking her arm against a wall when she showed Lexa the kitchen. 

Lexa found herself enjoying watching Clarke speak more than she actually liked speaking herself, which wasn't too big of a surprise. 

"Of course I love pizza," Lexa said with a laugh, her hands resting in the back pockets of her jean shorts. Her bags sat at her feet, waiting to be opened once Clarke finally showed her the guest house. "And I'm glad I could help you and Lincoln out. You honestly have no idea how important this summer is."

 _Maybe I'll wind up telling you_ , Lexa thought to herself with an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. There was this girl, an enchanting speaker and a complete stranger that Lexa knew nothing about, and yet she no longer felt like she couldn't breathe. Lexa supposed that once in a while you just meet someone and it's instantly like you've known them for a thousand years.

Maybe that was Clarke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will find out about what is going to happen to Lexa in September, but I'm waiting for the right moment, especially since it will affect Clarke and Lexa's relationship.
> 
> So I also want to acknowledge that Lexa is awkward and timid at first but she will evolve into the similar type of person she was in the show later on, because this summer is what makes her stronger and so on.
> 
> Also, have no expectations for this story though because I'm complete trash and nothing will be realistic. When I'm sad or not completely thinking straight I just sit and pop out 2000 words and post. I'm very problematic, oops.


	4. Hetero, I'm Clarke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke is a chatterbox and doesn't know how to function around strangers.

Clarke was expecting a cute girl with nice brown hair and balanced features. 

A friend, company for the summer, a companion at work. 

The entire night Clarke stuffed pizza down her throat and forced herself to look at every single object in the room so she wouldn't be caught staring at Lexa. At one point she started to choke on the pizza and had to pretend that she was getting over a bad cold rather than admit that she was practically an animal when nervous. Though Lexa probably noticed when Clarke was on her fourth piece of pizza. 

Clarke noticed little things when she wasn't choking on pizza; like how Lexa had no cupid's bow, how her hair got lighter at the ends and the way she held her shoulders stiffly even while slouching over. She blamed her fixation on the fact that she had never met Lexa before, so of course she had to be observant. But as the pizza disappeared and she ran out of tourist attractions to ramble on about, Clarke realized that Lexa was possibly the most beautiful girl she had ever been in close proximity with. Octavia and Raven were gorgeous, but she'd never looked at them and had a desire to run her fingers through their hair and trace the shape of their mouth. 

Clarke didn't leave the house as often as she should; maybe she just really needed to get out there and meet more people. 

"So, I know it's only evening but I thought you might want to settle in and everything and maybe we can finish going through specifics. I sort of just planned to do nothing for the rest of the night," Clarke blurted out apologetically. Lexa visibly sighed in relief and leaned back into the leather couch, her shoulders finally relaxing (not that Clarke noticed). 

Clarke was sitting across from the couch in the matching loveseat, her legs sticking slightly from the summer heat. She wanted to grab a drink an hour ago but wasn't looking forward to ripping her legs from the chair. Lexa didn't seem to be in the same position as she moved subtly but constantly, adjusting and readjusting her legs. Clarke figured that Lexa had probably crossed her legs and uncrossed them at least thirty times in the last hour. 

"That's alright, I was up pretty early anyways. I guess we should really talk about our plans and so on. The hours you texted me regarding work seemed perfect and I promise that I'll work hard. I also have some money saved because you're letting me stay here, so I'll give you some of it in the morning I guess." Lexa's voice was deeper than Clarke had expected, almost too much like an authority figure than a slightly shy young adult. It was one of the first things she had noticed when Lexa had arrived hours before. 

"Don't worry about it just yet, I trust you," Clarke promised. "So I was thinking that we could leave around nine in the morning and head down to see Lincoln. He's a little intimidating at first but he's incredibly gorgeous and--" Clarke paused and felt sort of stupid, deciding to rethink her words before she spoke again. "Anyway, he's a really good guy and he's made the place absolutely wicked. It is hot and boring at times but I don't mind the customers and you can always count on finding the weirdest stock. in there. I have a collection of those trolls with the gems in their bellies that I couldn't bear to watch being sold. I actually paid the lady who bought them from the store before she even walked out; it was too hard to watch them go."

 _Shut up, shut up, shut up. She doesn't want to know about your weird trolls_ , Clarke chided. Did her verbal vomit know no bounds? 

Lexa seemed rather amused by the story thought and laughed lightly, picking at the hem of her shorts that was wearing thin. Clarke noticed that she did that a lot, along with twisting the end of her Runaways band shirt. 

"Well I guess I better show you the guest house. There isn't a TV in there right now because I broke the one in my room and traded it out. But you can come into the house at any time and use the main one to watch anything. Just to warn you in advance, I break a lot of things." 

Lexa began to twist her t-shirt and bit her lip nervously, almost like she was debating something internally. Clarke raised an eyebrow and waited expectantly.

"So your parents left you here for the summer, and you live here full time, right?" 

Clarke nodded quickly and secretly felt relieved that she hadn't been asked a really personal question. Lexa seemed to think that it was one, but Clarke didn't mind anything revolving around her parents or her home. She had that all figured out a long time ago, unlike the rest of her life. 

"My mom and her husband went up to Florida for most of the summer and since I go to school in town, I guess I never bothered moving out. We saved money and I developed a real relationship with my mother because I was home a lot. After my dad died, things were a little weird I guess." 

"I've lived with Anya since I left foster care almost two years ago but we were in the same home for a few years too. She took on a lot to take care of me so things have always been a little tense but we're okay. I'm glad that you have a good relationship with your mother now," Lexa mentioned with a genuine tone to her voice. Clarke hadn't expected to reveal that much about herself so quickly, and especially not for Lexa to relate so easily. 

"Oh, foster care. I hadn't realized," Clarke commented awkwardly, instantly regretting even bringing it up. At least not so soon. 

Lexa didn't react at all though, not even a shrug or a flinch. Clarke hoped that meant that Lexa had a good experience in foster care unlike the kids she heard on the news or saw on TV. She didn't know anyone who had come from a foster home or even had parents who had passed away. Though she supposed that Lexa's parents could have put her up for adoption or became addicts. Maybe they weren't dead. 

"My parents are dead," Lexa responded lamely, giving Clarke the impression that she had never gotten too close to them. Not many people were that blunt and... sound about the death of their family members. "They were killed by some power-hungry criminals who were too drunk to realize who they were pointing their weapons at. I was only four though, so I don't remember them at all."

Clarke swallowed thickly and pushed her tongue against her teeth, questioning how in the world she was supposed to respond to something like that. So Lexa's parents had murdered and she didn't seem broken up about it. That was completely normal right? Nothing strange or especially concerning.

Instead of doing anything a normal person would do, or thinking about a respectable response, Clarke decided that was the moment she was going to stand up. It didn't hurt quite as much as she expected but as her skin lifted from the leather, it made a ripping noise like someone was behind her shredding paper. 

"So! Let me lead the way to your little paradise with no television," Clarke said enthusiastically, ignoring the sympathetic look on Lexa's face to avoid making things more awkward. 

Clarke led Lexa outside and down the little pathway to their guest house. It was small but had one bedroom, a bathroom and had a counter and sink. There used to be an oven but Clarke broke that too. Lexa seemed to be please with the size and put her bags neatly in front of the dresser while Clarke explained different things about the water pressure and the electricity. She had worried that Lexa would hate it or just settle with a motel but she was pleasantly surprised when Lexa said it was "perfect".

"Clarke, is it okay if I just go to bed now?" Lexa asked politely, sitting down carefully at the end of the freshly made bed. "I know it's hardly nighttime or anything, but I just thought it might be good to wake up to a fresh start, well, awake."

She tried her best to mask her disappointment and started to pull pillows out from the storage under the Queen sized bed. The silence quickly got weird and Clarke pondered what topics were appropriate for first meetings. Clarke noted that they had already brought up families and murder, so anything else wasn't too much of a strain on their new friendship.

"How many pillows do you like?"

"Four, if that's okay. I love to sleep surrounded by them. I guess they make me feel safer," Lexa admitted apologetically. Clarke hadn't a clue to why Lexa felt the need to sound so sorry, but she did feel a twinge of sadness in the idea that Lexa needed to feel safe at night. Did it have to do with her parents? Was she keeping more in than she had admitted?

Was Clarke developing a psycho analyzing problem? Clarke knew the answer to _that_ question. 

"Four is perfectly fine," Clarke said casually while tossing the pillows on the bed behind Lexa. "Do you have any friends or a special someone that you've left behind for the summer?" Clarke hadn't really considered that Lexa had left for a reason, maybe even a person. 

Lexa instantly stilled and stopped picking at the hem of her shorts, looking up at Clarke with hesitant eyes. 

"Things have been... messy in my life lately. I dated a girl who was recently hurt because of who she associated herself with and it didn't end well." Lexa's voice was deeper and more cautious at the mention of the mysterious girl, making Clarke's mouth go dry and her throat feel tight. Sure she didn't know Lexa, but the girl did seem to have a lot go on in her life. 

"Is she okay?" She felt like she was invading Lexa's privacy by even thinking about it, but Clarke was too curious for her own good. It was like reading a book but burning it before finishing the ending. 

"She hit her head, really, really hard. Her memory is in and out but more often than not she doesn't actually know who I am. Her parents have her in a home for the younger generation that has crippling traumas. Amnesia and other disorders or illnesses caused by events in people's lives. It's a nice place though, she's happy there."

"Oh God, I shouldn't be pressing you to tell me your whole life story here. I don't mean to bring up everything you're trying to get away from," Clarke explained hurriedly, despite that fact that Lexa didn't look angry or offended. In fact, Lexa seemed almost at peace with her story and just the slightest bit saddened. All of which was understandable but surprising to Clarke. 

"It's okay, I promise. Her name was Costia. Like I said, she's truly happy where she is and it's just really hard for me to stay away from her even though it's not good for her health for me to see her. If she becomes familiar with me again, then leaving her could put her in a dangerous state, even jeopardizing all of the progress she has made in the last two years."

 _Two years?_ Clarke shivered without intending to and hoped that Lexa hadn't noticed. She was trying her best to wrap her head around the idea that hitting your head once could damage you that badly. Clarke couldn't imagine going through that or loving someone who was going through that. She had barely cared enough to remember birthdays in her past relationships. None of them were worth remembering.

"Why would you have to leave her?"

Lexa froze slightly and averted her eyes from Clarke, instead staring at the hardwood floors with a surprising intensity. Clarke knew that she had finally asked a question that Lexa did not intend to answer and she felt an overwhelming wave of guilt and shame wash over her. She couldn't control her own thoughts, let alone her mouth.

"Sorry, I get a little nosey when I'm tired and it's been a strange day. I'm excited to have you here and I hope we can be friends," Clarke quickly interjected through the silence. Lexa seemed to relax again and even smiled, noticeably glad to be off the topic of Costia. 

Clarke had a million questions still but figured that she could probably find the incident online if she got curious enough. Though it seemed rather rude to dig into the life of someone who was already so open and kind. Maybe she would leave it until it drove her crazy enough. 

She extended her hand and Lexa took it firmly, her skin slightly dry but warm and comfortable as she pumped Clarke's hand with hidden confidence. Despite it being the type of handshake Clarke expected to happen at a job interview, she couldn't say that it felt so casual. Instead it felt like the beginning of a bond that Clarke was both excited and scared to share. It had been a long time since she got close to someone other than Raven and Octavia, making her worry about how easily she could screw it up. 

"I'll wake you up in the morning if you want, after I take my pets for a walk. They've been getting up strangely early lately so I better give in before they drive me up a wall. You can maybe help me make breakfast too," Clarke suggested.

Lexa nodded and began to unpack her bags into the drawer. Clarke caught a glance at a few old paperback novels that looked both ominous and disturbing. Clarke had never been a reader, mostly into textbooks and memoirs, but the books in Lexa's bag looked oddly appealing. 

"That sounds lovely. Thank you for everything." Lexa sighed when her hair fell in her eyes and she was left looking at Clarke through a curtain of waves. Clarke suppressed a laugh and pulled an elastic off her wrist, tossing it at Lexa wordlessly. 

"You're welcome. I'll see you tomorrow morning," she said before heading out the door and back to the house.

The night air was cooler but the sky was still bright, a sign that summer had truly begun. Clarke was sure that the moment she laid down in bed, she wouldn't be able to sleep one bit. It was like her nerves were electrified and Lexa may or may have not been the cause of that. The only thing Clarke really knew was that Lexa was damaged and very good at hiding. Just as much as Clarke was good at hiding the fact that she hadn't a single idea as to why Lexa Woods was so God damn intriguing. 

She figured she'd wind up finding some answer in the many hours of the night that she didn't spend sleeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this is going somewhere. It won't be too boring anymore now that they've met and I've set up a story line (ish).


End file.
